Oddfellows Hall (fmr), Leederville

Statement of Significance

The remaining front of the IOOF Buffaloes Lodge is a rare example of the Federation period and a landmark in Oxford Street. It has close associations with the establishment of the International Order of Oddfellows in Perth in 1898 and later the Friendly Societies Health Services (FSHS).

Physical Description

The two storey stone building has fine stucco decoration to the parapet above the rusticated stone cladding of the upper walls. The central bay projects to highlight the main entrance to the hall. The parapet features a central pediment. All of the window and door openings are square headed with concrete lintols over each opening. The upper floor windows are of equal size, each having three casements topped by square fanlights. On the ground floor there are two shops symmetrically presented either side of the entry door to the lodge. The original verandah has been replaced with a cantilevered awning. Zero setback on Oxford Street. Although built on a corner it is fully orientated towards Oxford Street. The original verandah has been replaced with a cantilevered canopy. The original ground floor shop fronts have been substantially altered. The hall has been removed.

History

The building was constructed for the International Order of Oddfellows (IOOF), as a timber hall with a two-storey stone façade comprising two rooms up and down. The IOOF was established in Western Australia in 1898, and was one of several friendly societies that operated in the State. The IOOF is an organisation based on non-profit mutual self-help. It was run by a Board of Directors elected from among its members. It grew and diversified over the years, and was a founding partner in the Friendly Societies Health Services (FSHS), a major health fund which was taken over by the Hospital Benefits Fund (HBF) in 1984. Other benefits provided included funeral assistance, funeral cover, pharmacy benefits, travel service and general insurance. The foundation stone for the Leederville IOOF Buffaloes Lodge is believed to have been laid by John Forrest. It was surreptitiously removed under the cover of night, however was returned in 2008 and has been reinstated at the building. Inscribed on the stone was the following: This stone was laid by The Hon. Sir John Forrest K.C.M.G. Premier On 3rd November 1896 A.W. Hoskins ARIBA Building Committee Architect (Illegible) Although the names of the building committee were illegible on the foundation stone, it was reported in the Western Mail on 6 November 1896 that they were two members of the order, Brothers J.H. Ede and R. Howard. The article also indicated that members of the Pioneer Lodge and Bohemia Lodge and visitors from the Fremantle lodges were also present at the stone laying ceremony. Wise's Post Office Directories show Walter Male as the Secretary in 1899. In 1901 it was just listed as the Leederville Hotel. The Oddfellows do not appear to have used the Hall for any great length of time but early residents remember going to fancy dress balls there when they were students at Leederville State School. Margaret Beadle also remembered that St Barnabas had their annual concert there. The back portion of the hall was burnt down around 1906 and in 1910 it is possible understood that John Randall, a produce merchant was operating at the front. At this time the building was numbered 123 Oxford Street. In 1914 it appears the property was renumbered 201 and 203 and the two rooms at the front of the hall were used as shops. Mrs Carlisle, a confectioner, was in No. 201 and No. 203 was vacant at that time. It was not until 1917 that it became No. 217, when it was listed as vacant. It was in that year that it caught the attention of the local Health Inspector who found that people were gaining access to the building through a broken window and using it as a public convenience. The hall section had been removed by November 1917, to be used as part of the temporary buildings for the University on Western Australia, on St George's Terrace. Brick additions at the rear appear to have been added at some early time following the removal of the hall. In 1919 the place was occupied by Peter Minn, a greengrocer and in 1920 by confectioner, Mrs M.A Connolly. In 1921 two of the street numbers were listed for the first time: Mrs Connolly was still operating at No. 217 and Albert E. Moorman, a bootmaker was at No. 22. The following year Albert was still at No. 221 and his wife operated a confectionery at No. 217 and one early resident recalled standing at the window, working out how many sweets they could get for their half penny. In the years that followed the place was occupied by various retail and commercial enterprises, including as a grocer and greengrocer, bootmaker, and tobacconist and a brothel at one stage but often with one of the two shops were vacant. In the 1930s No. 219 was included in the Directories' listing. During this period until 1946, Mrs Z. Nelson had a fancy goods store at No. 221 and A. Nelson ran a book shop at No. 219 and crockery distribution business at No. 217. Following this the building was used by a fishmonger, mixed business in 1949 and then later on a second-hand shop, a restaurant/food outlet, which was very popular with the TAFE students across the road who were able to play chess there, and a dental surgery . In 1960 some reconstruction work was carried out at the rear of the building by the then owner, P Panizza. The building was bought by Dr Pat Cranley in the 1980s and he used No. 221 for his surgery. He rented the shop next door to several hairdressers and following that his daughter Margaret ran her craft shop, Chantilly Lace there. The upstairs was accommodation and in 2002 another daughter, Louise Cranley, a country school teacher, was using it as a Perth base. Dr Cranley employed a receptionist, Mrs Cranley, from the 1990s until her husband's death in 2004. Mrs Cranley was situated at the front adjacent to where the waiting room area was and he had two rooms behind that where he saw his patients. His was a family practice initially. He called it a 'geriatric' practice because the average age of his patients was 77. Then '˜they died out and then we had a mixed, jumbled up practice, then we had a bit of a yuppy practice' and later on a '˜drug practice'. Dr Cranley treated addicts, often with revolutionary methods, some of which did not find favour with the authorities. However, as a result of his work in medicine, with migrants, Rotary and so on, Dr Cranley received many awards, including Metropolitan Senior of the Year two weeks before his death in October 2004. Following his death, the place was sold and the current owners (2008) are in the process of restoring the building, which will include the reinstating the foundation stone to its original position on the left-hand side of the main entrance. When finished it is believed the space will be rented to an optician.

Integrity/Authenticity

Façade intact Remainder low/missing

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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